Antiaircraft gun turret



Nov. 21, 1944. H, M. PFLAGER 2,363,356

ANTIAIRCRAFT GUN TURRET Filed July 21, 1941 HARRY M. PFLAGER ATTORNEYPatented Nov. 21, 1944 I 2,363,356 ANTIAIRCRAFT GUN TURRET Harry M.Pflager, St. Louis, Mo., assignor to General Steel Castings Corporation,Granite City, 111., a corporation of Delaware Application July 21, 1941,Serial No. 403,283

2 Claims.

The invention relates to turret structure for 1 military use and moreparticularly to a turret structure for an anti-aircraft gun and its op.-

erating crew. The invention is adapted for but not limited to use onnaval vessels.

The invention comprises a simple, effective turret consisting largely ofa single one-piece casting of armor metal corresponding in contour to aninverted bowl of substantial semispherical shape but having portionsmodified for the projection therethrough of a gun barrel and themounting of a supplementary shield, with adjacent portions flattened tobetter deflect projectiles striking the turret from a direction in frontof the gun, the whole structure being mounted so that the gun may befired in any direction.

The main object of the present invention is to afford protection to themen and equipment within the turret and to facilitate ready movement ofthe gun and turret to accommodate firing of the gun in any desireddirection.

In the accompanying drawing illustrating a selective embodiment of theinvention- Figure 1 is a top view of the turret structure showing a gunbarrel projecting therefrom.

Figure 2 is a similar view but indicating details of the base of theturret mounting, the turret being sectioned in part horizontally forbetter illustration.

Figures 3 and 5 are vertical sections through the structure taken on thelines 3-3 and 5-5 respectively of Figure 2,

Figure 4 is a side elevation of the structure.

Figures 6 and '7 are detailed vertical sections Figure 2.

The turret proper comprises a single one-piece casting preferably ofarmor steel of sufficient thickness and hardness to offer substantialresistance to projectiles.

The casting is shaped like an inverted cup or bowl, rising from acircular base I, the rear portion of the bowl, indicated at 2, forming aquarter of a sphere and the remaining or forward portion havingflattened areas 3 corresponding to the sides of a pyramid, theseflattened portions converging forwardly and inwardly from the frontedges of the quarter-spherical rear portion 2 and merging in a meridianzone 4 curving lengthwise forwardly and downwardly from the top centerof the rear portion 2 to base I and flattened transversely of itslength.

The median portion 4 is slotted longitudinally, as indicated at 5, toaccommodate the barrel of a gun 6 mounted on a pedestal"! to swingthereon to different inclined positions, as indicated at Go and 6b, andto swing on the support S, with the pedestal, about the vertical axis ofthe structure.

Overlying slot 5 and extending beyond the ends of the same is an arcuateshield 8. Rollers 9 journalled in the shield ride on the flat face ofzone 4 at the sides of slot 5. The shield is guided and its edges androllers protected by an gular members I!) secured to zone 5 as shown orformed integrally therewith, if so desired.

Shield 8 has a restricted aperture H for receiving the gun barrel and,if desired, an aperture 12 for sighting the gun, which may be omitted orprovided with a closure if the gun is to be directed by signal from anofiicer stationed outside of the turret. Shield 8 has a length exceedingthat of slot 5 sufliciently to cover the slot from end to endirrespective of the movement of the shield by the gun as the latter isshifted to different angles.

The turret is mounted upon a circular track I3 corresponding in diameterto the base of the turret and providing a support for antifrictionbearing elements M. The turret base has a continuous inturned horizontalnarrow annular rim or flange l5 resting upon the antifriction bearingelements, and the base projects downwardly beyond the bearing elementsto protect the same. An upstanding flange IS on track l3 opposes theinner edge of flange I5 and prevents displacement of the turretlaterally of the track.

Angular retainers I! attached to track l3 at intervals include legsextending over turret flange l5 and preventing relative verticaldisplacement of the turret and track.

The rigid turret casting is form sustaining and self-supporting aboveits rim, and hence the space beneath the casting, including the floorstructure on which the track I3 is carried, is substantiallyunobstructed by turret parts from side to side and from rim to top ofthe turret.

A door IE on turret portion 2 provides for the entrance and exit of thecrew and for the admission of supplies.

The gun and turret may be rotated to difierent positions by hand or bygearing, and the gun mounting and turret shell may be geared so as torotate together. When the occupants of the turret are engaged in battle,they may swing the gun and the forward portion of the turret towards theenemy and the enemys gunfire will be directed against the convergingflat siirfaces 3 3 will more effectively deflect the projectilesstriking them than if the forward portion of the turret comprised asingle fiat surface extending transversely of the gun or were a sectionof a sphere. However, the quarter-spherical rear portion of the turretprovides better average deflection of enemy projectiles which may comefrom other sources and also provides increased space in the turret foroccupants behind the gun.

The structure provides substantial protection as previously indicatedand the casting of the turret in a single shell of substantial thicknesseliminates the necessity of cross bracing within the turret, either forresisting the impact of projectile's or for providing support for anypart of the shell,

The details of construction may be varied from those shown withoutdeparting from the spirit of the invention and some of the features maybe omitted without afiecting the novelty and utility of other featureswhich are retained, and the exclusive use of those modifications of thestructure coming Within the scope of the appended claims iscontemplated.

What is claimedisz.

1. In a turret 'for an anti-aircraft gun and crew, comprising a circularbase, a rear body portion having the contour substantially of a quarterof a sphere curving upwardly from said base and inwardly towards acentral vertical axis, and a forward body portion comprising fiatsections inclined upwardly and inwardly from said base and convergingforwardly from the edges of said rear portion and merging in a narrowquartercircular vertically-disposed portion comprising an extension ofthe curvature of the spherical rear portion and slotted substantiallythroughout its length to receive the projecting barrel of a gun mountedinteriorly of the'turret and to accommodate the tilting of the gunvertically over a wide range,

2. Ina structure of the class described, a circular track, antifrictionbearing elements mounted thereon, a concavo-convex shell generallyresembling an inverted bowl and havinga circular rim carried on saidbearing elements, the rear half of said shell above said rimcorresponding generally to a quarter of a sphere and the forward half ofsaid shell above said rim corresponding generally to two sides of apyramid with the corner between them opposite the center of the rearsection flattened and curved to form a quarter-circular extension of themeridian portion of said rear half and provided with an upwardly andrearwardly extending slot continued into said rear half foraccommodating a gun barrel projecting from the turret so that the gunmay be inclined to different angles in a vertical plane.

H. M. PFLAGER.

